Which Are Better: Noise Cancelling Earbuds Vs Headphones

Sometimes you may want to enjoy your time by being all alone, there will be no one around you, a deep silence & just you. Well, this may seem a bit filmy in real life. If you are living with your friends or family then it is quite difficult to get some silent moments, especially at day time. Well, to solve that problem technology has invented its most advanced feature, “Noise-canceling Earbuds & Headphones”. Most people want to listen to their favorite music while there is no other noise around him/her.

That is why this technology has been merged with headphones & earbuds to let you enjoy your quality time along with your favorite music while no one can disturb you. But which one is a better option if your main priority is noise cancelling? If this question is roaming around your head then this is the right place where you can find your desired answer. Just stay with us till the end to make everything clear regarding this topic.

I added a comparison table at bottom of the post to better understand.

What is Noise Cancelling Technology?

Noise-canceling technology is not just limited to blocking outside noises. It works far beyond that. If you are a student of science & know science then it will be easier for you to understand. In physics, it is called “Anti-Phase”. The idea here is. Two sound waves meet each other & cancel both. One is the outside noise & the other one is created by your headphone’s/earbud’s microphone. First, the microphones listen to the unwanted noise around you. Then the headphones create a sound that works against the outside noise to cancel it out. Thus the outside noise will not reach your ears while wearing noise-canceling earphones or earbuds. Now it is all about listening to your favorite music without any unwanted noise.

Noise Cancelling Headphones/Earbuds Vs. Noise Isolation Headphones/Earbuds

This point may seem off-topic for some of you. If you already know about this then you may skip this part to find out your main answer. But if you do not know about this as well then we recommend that take some time to read this brief note. We saw that many of you often confuse Noise Isolation Headphones/Earbuds with Noise Cancelling Headphones/Earbuds. If you do not know the main differences then you will end up buying the wrong audio device for you. The traditional noise isolation earbuds or headphones provide a tight fit to block the unwanted surrounding noises. It all depends on the earcups & buds & mostly how it will fit in your ear.

There is no mechanical process here. The tighter the earcups & buds the more noise isolation you will get. On the other hand Noise, Cancelling is a very advanced technology that uses the theory of physics as we mentioned previously. It does not depend on the fitting or how tight you can wear your headphones or earbuds. There is another more advanced noise-canceling technology known as CVC Noise Cancellation Technology. To know more you can also check this, Difference Between Noise Cancelling vs. Noise Isolating.

Noise Cancelling Earbuds vs Headphones

Now it is time for our main topic. If you are looking for a noise-canceling device then you have man two options, headphones & earbuds. Headphones are known as the big brother of Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds. Most active noise-canceling headphones do a better job compared to earbuds. But earbuds also have their own advantages. It actually depends on your personal preferences & uses. For some users, an over-ear headphone is most desirable. For some users, a pair of active noise-canceling earbuds is always preferable. Then which one is good for you? According to uses & personal preferences here are some points that will help you to decide whether you should go for a noise-cancelling earbud or noise-cancelling over-ear headphones.

Office & Working Place

If you need some private time during your work or maybe your working place is very noisy to concentrate on then a noise-canceling device can always help you. For office & working place users we recommend active noise-canceling over-ear headphones. Headphones have greater noise-canceling capability compared to most other earbuds. Using good-quality headphones just like the Sony WH-1000xm4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones will keep you separate from any unwanted circumstances. Also, a headphone is clearly visible from distance. Wearing one other will realize that you are busy with your task. Also if anyone wants something urgent from you then s/he will come closer to talk to you.

You May Like – Best Headset for office work

Workout

For work out at the gym or morning exercise, the best choice is an Active Noise Cancelling Sport Earbud. Sport earbuds are made for athletes & to use during an active workout. Those are very small in size, have almost no weight & also very comfortable to wear. For example, the Sony WF-SP800N True Wireless Sports in-Ear Noise Canceling Earbuds will be a perfect match for athletes.

Traveling

As a traveler, you can choose any of these, either a noise-canceling headphone or noise-canceling earbud. Mostly it depends on your personal preferences. But we recommend that for a long journey you should choose active noise-canceling over-ear headphones. Those headphones have greater noise cancelling capability. If a baby is crying on the flight then it will not bother you. Or if someone is snoring beside you then you can mute that quite easily. You can check this list Heavy Duty Noise Cancelling Headphones.

Sleeping

Without proper sleep, you can not have a good morning. If you live in a noisy place where there is no pin-dropping silence even at night then you need a noise-canceling device. If you want to choose between earbuds & Headphones then both can be a great choice. It actually depends on which one you are comfortable sleeping on. If you are using a headphone then we recommend using a Horse-shoe pillow. There are also some noise-canceling headbands especially suited for sleeping. Check this list for all types of headphones & earbuds, Best Headphones, Earbuds & Headbands For Sleeping With Noise Cancelling.

Using Period

For how long you are going to use your noise-canceling device, this issue is very much important to decide what you need. It actually depends on the battery life. Normally, over-ear headphones have greater battery life compared to any earbud. That is why if you need to use one for a long time then an over-ear headphone is always preferable. But if you are s short-time user then you can go with any one of these.

Price

Generally, Noise cancelling over-ear headphones are expensive compared to noise-canceling earbuds. If you have a low budget we will recommend buying a pair of noise-canceling earbuds other than a cheap over-ear headphone. You can check this list for Budget Noise-Canceling earbuds But if you do not have a budget issue then go for whatever you like.

Comparison Table: Noise Cancelling Earbuds vs Headphones

Now, here is a table that will let you understand the whole thing about Noise Cancelling earbuds vs Headphones at a glance.